Sutera plant named &#39;dancop23&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Sutera  plant named ‘DANCOP23’ particularly characterized by 5-petalled flowers, measuring about 1.7 cm in diameter and purple-violet in color with a yellow-orange colored throat; trailing, compact growth habit; early flowering response; and suitable for use with hanging basket planters, combination planters and ground cover under full sunlight-and slight shade.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

Sutera cordata

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘DANCOP23’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Suteraplant, botanically known as Sutera cordata, hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘DANCOP23’.

Sutera, of the Scrophulariaceae family, consists of annuals, which aregrown in most climate zones in the U.S., and only in zones 9 and 10 ifit is a perennial plant.

The new Sutera cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Gabriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. The objective of the breeding program is to develop a new Suteravariety with large, purple-violet flowers and a trailing, compact growthhabit.

The new Sutera cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlledbreeding program by the inventor in 2005, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel. Open pollination of the seed parent, an unpatented Suteracultivar designated ‘CV-04-31’, took place in the controlled breedingprogram in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’ wasdiscovered and selected by the inventor, Gabriel Danziger, as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sutera cultivar by vegetative tipcuttings was first performed in May of 2005 in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva,Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivarreproduces true to type.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘DANCOP23’, which in combinationdistinguish this Sutera as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. 5-petalled flowers, measuring about 1.7 cm in diameter and        purple-violet in color with a yellow-orange colored throat;    -   2. Trailing, compact growth habit;    -   3. Early flowering response; and    -   4. Suitable for use with hanging basket planters, combination        planters and ground cover under full sunlight-and slight shade.

Plants of the new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’ differ from plants of the parentalcultivar, ‘CV-04-31’ (unpatented) in the characteristics described inTable 1. TABLE 1 Female Parent New Cultivar ‘CV-04-31’ Character‘DANCOP23’ (Unpatented) Flower size Medium, about 1.7 cm Medium, about1.5 cm Flower color Purple-violet Blue Leaf shape Elliptic Cordate

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to the new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’ is the SuteraDANGUL14 (disclosed in pending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/392,501), in the characteristics described in Table 2: TABLE 2Comparison Cultivar ‘DANGUL14’ New Cultivar (disclosed in U.S. PlantPatent Characteristic ‘DANCOP23’ Application No. 11/392,501) Flower sizeMedium, about 1.7 cm Extra large, about 2.7 cm Flower colorPurple-violet White Leaf size (width) Small, about 1.0 cm Large, aAbout2.0 cm

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic drawings illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’ showing the colors as true as is reasonablypossible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color value cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of‘DANCOP23’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of‘DANCOP25’ in a hanging planter at 3 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of typical flowers and buds of ‘DANCOP23’at 3 months of age.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, andday length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe the new Sutera ‘DANCOP23’as grown in a greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel, underconditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercialpractice.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (RHS), 2001 edition, except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditionsat approximately 12:00 noon in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The ageof the plant described is 3 months.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Sutera cordata.        -   Commercial.—Bacopa c.v. Copia Great Violet.-   Parentage: Sutera cultivar designated ‘CV-04-31’ (unpatented).-   Optimal growth conditions:    -   -   Light intensities.—Full sunlight or slight shade.        -   Temperature.—Day: 20° C. to 24° C. Night: 16° C. to 20° C.        -   Temperature tolerance.—Tolerant to a low temperature of            about 10° C. and tolerant to a high temperature of about 30°            C.        -   Fertilization.—A balanced fertilizer with level of 100 ppm            Nitrogen.        -   Growth regulators.—Unnecessary.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Tip cuttings of side shoots.        -   Rooting habit and description.—Easy to root.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 14 days at 18° C.-   Plant:-   General appearance and form:    -   -   Height.—About 10 cm.        -   Spread.—About 50 cm.-   Shape: Trailing, vigorous growth habit.-   Winter hardiness: Hardy in moderate climate.-   Vigor: Strong.-   Crop time: About 8 to 10 weeks for a flowering pot.-   Fragrance: None.-   Branching habit: Vigorously branched.

Lateral branches: TABLE 3 Branch characteristic Primary Secondary LengthAbout 45 cm. About 30 cm. Diameter About 2 mm. About 1 mm. InternodeLength About 2.5 cm. About 1 cm. Texture Slightly rough Slightly roughPubescence Present Present Color Green, RHS 137A Green, RHS 137B

-   Foliage:-   Arrangement and attachment: Opposite, petiolate.-   Leaf length: About 2.5 cm.-   Leaf width: About 1.0 cm.-   Overall shape of leaf: Elliptic.-   Apex shape: Acute.-   Base shape: Acuminte.-   Margin: Dentate.-   Texture (both surfaces): Slightly velvety.-   Pubescence (both surfaces): Slightly present.-   Color of upper surface:    -   -   Mature leaf.—Green, RHS 137A.        -   Immature leaf.—Green, RHS 137B.-   Color of lower surface:    -   -   Mature leaf.—Green, RHS 137C.        -   Immature leaf.—Green, RHS 137C.-   Venation:    -   -   Pattern.—Palmate.        -   Color.—Upper surface: Green, RHS 137A. Lower surface: Green,            RHS 137C.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—About 6 mm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Color.—Green, RHS 137A.-   Leaf fragrance: None.-   Flower description:-   Natural flowering season: All year round in moderate climate.    Flowering occurs between January and December outdoors in Israel.-   Flowering response time: About 4 weeks from planting.-   Flowering longevity: On the plant: Flowering of a single flower    lasts for 7 days.-   Flower fragrance: None.-   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant: Approximately 200.-   Flower bud (about 2 days prior to opening):    -   -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Length.—About 10 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Texture.—Velvety.        -   Color.—Purple-Violet, RHS N82D.-   Flower type: Solitary, auxiliary.-   Flower form: Salverform.-   Flower symmetry: Radial symmetric.-   Orientation at opening: Slanted upward and outward.-   Corolla size:    -   -   Diameter (spread).—About 1.7 cm.        -   Diameter at lobes.—About 17 mm.        -   Overall flower height.—About 9 mm.        -   Length of corolla tube.—About 8 mm.        -   Diameter of corolla tube.—About 2 mm.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—About 6 mm.        -   Width.—About 5 mm.        -   Overall shape.—Rounded and gameopetalous.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture (upper & lower surfaces).—Slightly velvety.        -   Color.—Upper surface, when opening: Purple-Violet, RHS N82A.            Lower surface, when opening: Purple-Violet, RHS N82C. Upper            surface, when opened: Purple-Violet, RHS N82A. Lower            surface, when opened: Purple-Violet, RHS N82C.        -   Corolla throat color.—Yellow-orange, RHS 14B.-   Calyx:    -   -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Length: About 6.0 mm. Width: About            1.0 mm. Overall shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.            Margin: Entire. Texture: Upper surface: Velvety. Lower            surface: Velvety Upper surface color: Yellow-Green, RHS            146B. Lower surface color: Yellow-Green, RHS 146B. Anthocyan            pigmentation of calyx limb: Absent.        -   Pedicel.—Aspect: Slanted upward. Length: About 6 mm.            Diameter: About 1.0 mm. Angle: About 45°. Texture: Velvety.            Color: Yellow-Green, RHS 146B.-   Reproductive organs:-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamen.—Number: 4. Arrangement: Didynamous. Type: Basifixed.            Dehiscence of stamens: Extrorse. Color: Yellow, RHS 13A.        -   Anthers.—Shape: Cylinder. Length: About 1.0 mm. Color:            Yellow, RHS 13A.        -   Filaments.—Length: About 8 mm. Color: Green-Yellow, RHS 1D.        -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: Yellow, RHS 13B.            Pollination requirements: Young flowers, vital pollen, and            receptive, open stigma.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1. Length: About 10 mm.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Undulate. Width: About 0.5 mm. Color:            Green-Yellow, RHS 1B.        -   Style.—Shape: Terete. Length: About 8 mm.        -   Ovary.—Shape: Ellipsoid. Position: Superior. Length: About            2.0 mm. Width: About 1.0 mm. Color: Green, RHS 143B.-   Seeds:    -   -   Quantity per fruit.—About 20.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Length.—About 0.5 mm.        -   Width.—About 0.5 mm.        -   Texture.—Rough.        -   Color.—Greyed-Orange, RHS 167D.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Capsule.        -   Shape.—Ellipsoid.        -   Length.—About 4.0 mm.        -   Width.—About 2 mm.        -   Texture.—Rugose.        -   Color.—Greyed-Orange, RHS 165B.-   Disease/pest resistance: No information is currently available.-   Disease/pest susceptibility: No information is currently available.

1. A new and distinct Sutera plant named ‘DANCOP23’, as illustrated anddescribed herein.